Maddie Fortune's Perfect Man

Maddie glanced at Zach, fully expecting him to do the right thing and bow out. She wanted him to hold up his hands and say that it wasn’t appropriate, that it wasn’t his place to challenge Maddie for what was rightfully hers. Instead, he flashed that perfect smile with those dimples that opened doors and broke hearts. He looked Maddie square in the eyes and said, “I’m in.”

His smile was reminiscent of the one he’d given her last night when he’d challenged her to a friendly game of Ping-Pong. But this was a competition to determine her future—to decide who got control over her birthright.

But damned if her own traitorous heart didn’t twist at the sheer rakish beauty of him. That hurt almost as much as the thought of her uncertain future.

“Bring it on,” she said, instantly wishing she would’ve said something a little classier. But he didn’t seem to mind. His eyes glinted as if sparked by the competition. She forced her gaze away from the seductive pull of his.

Once upon a time Zach McCarter might have been her secret crush, but now he was the competition. As far as she was concerned, he was the enemy.

“Good,” said Kenneth, turning his gaze on Maddie. “Maddie, I’m proud of you for rising to the occasion. I must admit that I was worried about how you’d take it. But I have to hand it to you for wanting what’s best for the business.”

Maddie dug her nails into her palms as she kept the smile fixed on her face. So, he’d worried about how she’d take it, but he hadn’t given her the courtesy of a heads-up before this meeting? Oh, yeah, they’d talk about what was best for the family business later.

“The real estate business is brutal,” said Kenneth. “Whoever takes over Fortunado will likely face much tougher challenges in the years ahead. I want to make sure whoever I choose is up for the long haul.”

Ostensibly, he was speaking to both of them, but he was looking at Maddie.

And she’d believed it couldn’t possibly get worse.

Were they really going to do this now?

“I’m up for the challenge, Dad.” Her voice was clear and her words were crisp. “I didn’t realize our family business was up for grabs. You know, open to an outsider.”

She was well aware that her words had surpassed crisp and veered into clipped. Her father winced, but she didn’t know how Zach reacted because she didn't look at him. But she’d guess that he’d managed to keep a pleasantly stoic poker face. And if she knew what was good for her, she’d compose herself, too.

Her father cleared his throat. “The business is not up for grabs, as you put it. You might be the one I choose if you prove yourself the worthiest.”

Prove myself the worthiest? What the hell do you think I’ve been trying to do my entire adult life?

Her father’s words shook her to her very core. After all the hours she’d put in, all the sacrifices she’d made for the good of the company, he still wasn’t satisfied that she’d proven herself worthy?

If she didn’t know better, she might think that this had more to do with turning over the reins to one of his daughters. His sons weren’t interested. So, what did he do? He adopted one.

At least she had the good sense to not talk about this now. But they would talk. He had better believe they would talk.

Even in her fury, she had the presence of mind to know that her father wasn’t a chauvinist. He’d trained her himself and he’d led her to believe—

She shook away the thought. And she tried to ignore the little voice that taunted her, reminding her that Zach had outsold her last year.

Not by much, but he’d won.

He’d won and she’d lost.

Kenneth looked from Maddie to Zach and back to Maddie. “Your future is in your own hands,” Kenneth said. “You can win the position, but you have to earn it. I’m speaking to both of you.”

A sound like white noise buzzed in Maddie’s ears.

“I’m a self-made man,” Kenneth continued. “I never had anything handed to me. I built this business from the ground up and I want to make sure my successor not only fosters it, but takes it to places I never dreamed possible.”

He punctuated the statement with a shrug.

Self-made man? Never had anything handed to him?

Was he kidding?

It took every ounce of Maddie’s self-control to keep from reminding him that the Texas Lottery money he’d won hadn’t exactly come from hard work and determination. He’d beaten the odds and was lucky enough to choose the right numbers. But she also knew what his retort would be. That he’d invested that money. He hadn’t squandered it on all the trappings that a man who’d been raised by a single mother who could barely make ends meet might’ve been tempted to buy: the fancy house, the expensive cars. She’d heard him tell the story a million times. At face value, a cool million seemed like a lot of money, but it wasn’t. In fact, it was just enough to provide a false sense of wealth. After a person lived like a rich man for a few years, all he’d have left to show for it would be an empty bank account—and very often he’d be in worse financial shape than when he’d started.

It was a point of pride for Kenneth that he had been smart and invested his money. He’d worked hard to build Fortunado Real Estate into what it was today.

Yeah, Dad, what about how hard I’ve worked for you? What about how much of myself I’ve invested in you and Fortunado?

He glanced at his watch. “I need to leave in a few moments. I have a lunch appointment and I don’t want to be late. But do you have any questions I can answer before we adjourn?”

Yeah, Dad, I do. What the hell?

“What are you looking for?” Zach asked. “What’s the criteria?”

Maddie turned and looked at Zach for the first time since her dad had made the announcement.

Ah! Amateur question, McCarter.

She knew instantly what her father would say before he said it.

Kenneth shrugged. “Show me what you’ve got. That’s all I’m going to say. Well, that and may the best man—or woman—win.”

Her father held up a finger, his eyes flashing. “Wait. There is something. You know the Paisley? That new high-rise Dave Madison is building downtown? I want Fortunado to be the exclusive agents for that property. I want you two to work together to land that listing. The whole building. You need to work together to come up with a plan to seal the deal. That’s an important part of the challenge.”

“We’re on it.” Zach got to his feet, making all the right noises of agreement and understanding. As he shook Kenneth’s hand, Maddie stayed in her seat. Zach lingered on the threshold of her father’s office, obviously watching to see what she was going to say or do.

Maddie got a little bit of satisfaction from the look on his face when she said, “I need to talk to my father for a moment, Zach. Please excuse us.”

“No problem.” Zach gave a quick wave of his hand and closed Kenneth’s office door behind him.

“How could you do this to me?” She turned to her dad the second they were alone. “I’m your daughter.”

She couldn’t remember playing this card before. It had been a point of pride to never take advantage of the fact that she was the boss’s daughter. She knew she enjoyed a certain level of job security that those without the benefit of Fortunado blood didn’t have. But she’d never needed it. She’d worked damn hard to earn the presidency that her father had so unceremoniously announced was up for grabs.

If that’s the way he was going to be, then for a few moments she was going to play the family card. She was going to be the boss’s daughter because he owed her an explanation—if for nothing else, as to why he’d blindsided her.

She could tell by the look on his face that he could see the depth of her anger.

“I’m sorry, Maddie,” he said. “I can understand that this comes as a surprise, but I think you’ll appreciate the challenge and rise to the occasion once you have some time to think it through.”

She let his words reverberate in the air and took some satisfaction that at least he understood that she was upset.

“I love you,” he continued. “I love all my children, but I also don’t intend to let you or your siblings get complacent—especially when it comes to the business I’ve spent my life building. All promotions at Fortunado Real Estate must be earned. I have complete faith that you’ll earn yours.”

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